Dreaming the Bear – Mimi Thebo

Dreaming the Bear - Mimi Thebo

Dreaming the Bear is a quick read about a teenage girl, Darcy, who’s recovering from pneumonia after begrudgingly moving to Yellowstone National Park in its deep winter snow. She stumbles across an injured bear and things get a little more complicated.

Darcy seemingly moves in and out of bodily consciousness and this is interestingly written and quite atmospheric too. Her narration of the overwhelming and consuming tiredness that can accompany debilitating illness is conveyed very convincingly. Her relationship with the bear is an interesting one. It provides a storyline with heartstring-pull moments (oh yes, I did cry) and explores worthy questions about wildlife habituation but I didn't feel this was as richly conveyed as Darcy's consciousness was, perhaps because the novel is quite short. 

Characterwise, Darcy, perhaps justifiably, is a whinger. Yes, she is ill but she’s very spoilt too: it’s in her tone, in her thoughts and in her shopping behaviour so I struggled to warm to her. Sometimes that matters when I read a book. In terms of character development, she does change and she does become more aware of the different ways of life around her. 

The cover and the size of the book made me think this was a middle grade novel but I think the interest level is perhaps for readers older than 9 or 10 years, and definitely for teens too.

Dreaming the Bear has been nominated for the 2017 Carnegie Medal.

Publication details: Oxford University Press, 2016, Oxford, paperback

This copy: received for review from the publisher

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves - Karen Joy Fowler

Review by M

Shortlisted for The Man Booker Prize 2014; winner of the 2014 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

Some novels resonate closely with me for various reasons, and this novel is one of them. As a whole, it engulfed me. Despite some annoying elements, I loved it and won’t be surprised if it stays for a very long time on my ‘list of ‘favourite’ novels.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves is a novel about family relationships (and their difficulties), but it specifically explores questions about our humanity, our being, and ethical choices. The way it does this is directly via the plot (which I think is unusual and refreshing) but I’m not saying much more on this because of spoilers. 

Told in the first person by Pearl, she starts her story in the middle when she is making her way through university. She speaks directly to her readership as she takes them back and forth as she finds the courage to tell the beginning and some of the end of what happened to the brother and sister who left her family when she was just a young girl.

Fowler likes to keep her reader guessing but thankfully it is not too long before she introduces the big twist which puts the plot onto a level that goes beyond the everyday of ‘ordinary’ family lives. I’d suggest steering clear of reviews on this novel if you want to savour the impact of the twist when you read the novel. It really put me completely beside myself.

This is a wrenching and thoughtful read, delivered mostly with a light tone that works surprising well (given the subject matter). The annoying elements, for me, were: the character of Harlow (I could have done without her though I see how she makes Pearl think about her own ‘essential’ being); a bit too much tension; and I’d have preferred some of Pearl’s research to have been included as an appendix.

I suspect fans of Margaret Atwood (especially perhaps Cat’s Eye), Ann Patchett and Maggie O’Farrell will thoroughly enjoy this novel. Highly, highly recommended and definitely one to be discussed - but not online for fear of spoilers.

Publication details: 2014, Serpent’s Tale, London, paperback

This edition: gift from Little M

Race the Wind - Little M's review

Race the Wind by Lauren St John

Reviewed by Little M (13)

 

Race the Wind is the second novel in Lauren St. John's horse trilogy. Casey Blue and her horse, Storm Warning, have won Badminton horse trials and have been offered a place at the Kentucky three day event in America. Her father has been accused of a crime which he says he hasn't done. The evidence that show he has not committed the crime is missing. A blackmailer approaches Casey and says she and Storm must win Kentucky or her father will not be released.

I loved the plot and I think the little romance between Casey and Peter was really sweet. Lauren shows how a horse and a girl connect and trust each other. She also shows that when you ride horses there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. I didn't have a favourite character in this book but I found that they all were mostly believable but some were a tiny bit cheesy.

I preferred The One Dollar Horse which is the first novel in the series. This novel seemed to be aimed at a much younger audience than The One Dollar Horse, which is strange because it is the same series. I would recommend Race the Wind to 11/12 year olds, maybe a bit older because of some of the events which take place in the novel. But the style of writing seems to be aimed at a younger audience.

I would like to read the next book even though this one wasn't my favourite. I do love good horsey books.

Publication details: 2013, Orion Children’s Books, London, hardback

This copy: received for review from the publisher

The Child's Elephant - Little M's review

The Child’s Elephant by Rachel Campbell-Johnston

 

Reviewed by Little M

 

When Bat, a young African boy finds a dying baby elephant on the savannah, he and his best friend Muka set their hearts to save her. As Meya, the elephant, grows up Bat learns to let go of her and to let her into the wild.

After a few years without the elephant, Bat and Muka are taken captive by the soldier children. They are forced into the rebel army and must face whatever the army throws at them. This includes asking them to kill Meya!

This is an amazing story of a boy, an elephant and a rebel army, which forces children to join. This novel made me cry and laugh but never made me too sad. It makes me think about animal poaching and betrayal.

Definitely for Michael Morpurgo fans and also Gill Lewis and Lauren St John fans. I think almost anyone should read it but I would recommend it to late primary school and early secondary school. This is down to the main characters’ ages and the style of writing which best suits this age.

The cover for this novel is amazing. It captures the essence of the story. I think it will make people pick it up!

This is a novel that will stay with me forever. I  recommend The Child’s Elephant 100%!

 

Amazing full cover for The Child's Elephant by Rachel Campbell-Johnston. Artwork by David Dean.

 

 

Publication details: David Fickling Books, May 2013, Oxford, hardback

This copy: received for review from the publisher

 

 

 

Monkey Wars - M's review

Monkey Wars by Richard Kurti

 

Reviewed by M

Monkey Wars was a refreshing read, quite different to many other novels that I’ve read recently.

At first glance, it is a story about monkey troops in Kolkata, India. When humans feel threatened by the mischievous Rhesus monkeys, they bring in the Langur monkeys to get rid of them. Or so the story goes....From here on, it becomes a territorial war between monkey troops. The story focuses on Mico, a young Langur monkey who is small and thinks a lot about what he sees and thinks is going on. And at some point, he has to decide which side he is on – and there are many sides.

At second glance, Monkey Wars is a fable and explores many questions about power, politics and moral decision-making. But it’s also an urban war story packed full of action, gore, military strategy, loyalties and loves, spying and insurgency.

Being a fable, monkeys and their behavioural characteristics (and ways of marking territory!) are part of the plot but they are also humanised for the sake of storytelling. At times, you recognise it’s a monkey (e.g. defecating to mark territory) but at other times, I easily imagined it was human characters. It took me a couple of chapters to get used to this idea but after that I was really into the story and it was quite page-turning. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself rooting for any particular monkey! Mico was one of my favourites, but also Papina and Hister.

Initially, the timescale of the novel seems to be a matter of days but then I realised that it became months and then most definitely years – at least a lot of monkey years (what’s that in human years?). In this sense, it’s a long story told over much of a lifetime.

The novel is divided into three parts. Part two was my favourite. The ending, for me, was slightly disappointing because it came together a bit too easily. However, it brought most threads together – and there were quite a few. The ending definitely leaves with you with a lot to think about where and how the characters who survive might end up. It might make you think about wars and situations that you know about in real life too.

Monkey Wars re-inspired me.  As much as it is a story about power, politics and war, it is also a story about how we create and use history – or rather, histories. How much of our history do we really know? Which parts have we not been told? Which parts have been colourfully embroidered or dulled? And of course, who did the telling? In Monkey Wars, the narrator is omniscient (third-person and all-knowing). I wonder if this was to give us the sense that the whole truth was being told and not just the truth from Mico or Papina or Tyrell’s point of view (author Richard Kurti tells me his reasons tomorrow)? And of course, was there anything important that the narrator may have left out?

Issues touched upon in the novel include power, politics, tyranny, strategy, genocide, war and refugees. I particularly liked the refugees aspect. I would highly recommend this novel to teens. It would likely appeal to anyone who wants to read about war, action, history, and/or ideas. And maybe monkeys. It is recommended for readers aged 11+ but I would say that younger, confident and mature readers would enjoy this novel too (note, there are some graphically violent scenes).

Monkey Wars made me (as an adult) think about:

• How many times and places this story could be about
• How the lives of animals (or even other groups of people) can go on around us/me and we don’t even notice. Or if we do, we don’t see them as part of a whole intricate life and social network.
• George Orwell’s Animal Farm

Publication details: 2 May 2013, Walker, London, paperback

This copy: uncorrected proof received for review from the publisher

 

****

Watch out for M's interview with Monkey Wars' author, Richard Kurti.

Lost Worlds - Little M's review

Lost Worlds by Andrew Lane

 

Review by Little M

 

Calum Challenger was in a car crash which killed his parents and paralysed his legs. He is about sixteen and lives alone in a flat with a great amount of inheritance money. Calum never goes out and the one thing he hates most  is a wheelchair. He hates the name, the chair itself; he hates anything to do with it. When Gecko, a teenage boy crashes through one of Calum’s skylights, they immediately become friends. College student, Tara, is hacking into Calum’s website about animals that aren’t discovered. He sends Gecko to find her. In his high-tech apartment Calum directs a team on a journey into dangerous lands to get some DNA for him to try and cure his paralysed legs.
 

Lost Worlds was a brilliant, superb, action adventure novel. I definitely recommend this novel to action-adventure readers. It is fast paced so you never get bored.

My favourite character is Gecko. Gecko is the cool boy who free-runs. Free running is where you run across roofs/buildings without anything to catch you if you fall. He also comes up with awesome ideas and he can think on his feet!

The style of writing is not too difficult but also not too easy. It’s a nice style. One that makes you want to read on! When the second novel comes out I so want to read it!

Lost Worlds made me think about animals or beings that may not have been discovered. It really does make you think.

Andrew Lane is also the author of Young Sherlock Holmes.

 

Publication details: Macmillan Children’s, 25 April 2013, London, paperback

This copy: received for review from the publisher

 

Moon Bear - Little M's review

Moon Bear by Gill Lewis

Reviewed by Little M

 

 

Moon Bear is set in a city in a bear farm. 12 year old Tam is forced to go and work in the city due to family problems. He is sent to a bile bear farm which collects bile from bears and sells it off as medicine. The bears are kept in small cages and they are not allowed out of them. When a logging truck pulls up one day with a cub bear who is sick, Tam sets about nursing it back to health no matter what it takes. He promises to return him to the wild.

I loved this book and I think it is Gill Lewis's best novel so far. It is full of love and passion and I loved how one boy takes on the role of nursing a bear back to health and promising to set it free. I couldn't put it down.

All the characters are very believable and my favourite character is Tam. He is my favourite because he had the courage to stand up for himself and also because he would not let anything happen to the cub. There a many sub plots in the story like with the girl who is ill and is using the bear bile to try and get better.  The style of writing is not too hard but not too easy. It is a book that you will want to read again and again. The novel is not too long but it isn't too short; it is just right.

It took me a while to figure out where it is set. It mentions Laos. I think that is in Vietnam and it also mentions China so I figured it was somewhere near China and Vietnam. In some books they put maps at the front. They could do that with this one or say where it is set.

Moon Bear may make you cry and laugh a bit. Well, it made me do that. I think anyone would love this book if they are a fan of Michael Morpurgo, Gill Lewis or even just an animal lover.   Altogether this book was fantastic, I hope Gill Lewis writes some more!

Publication details: Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2 May 2013

This copy: uncorrected proof received for review

You can read my reviews of Gill Lewis other books: Sky Hawk and White Dolphin

We sat down for a chat...with Christian Schoon

Author Christian Schoon lets us in on the fodder behind his exoveterinarian sci-fi, Zenn Scarlett! There's a great story about bears. Over to you, Christian....

****

 

M asked me if I'd do a We Sat Down-ish post about my work with animals and how that factored into writing my science fiction novel, Zenn Scarlett. I'm more than happy to oblige! (like all authors, I'm probably a little too fond of rambling on about my characters and plots....)

Anyway, the good news is that the story behind my writing a story about a young, novice exoveterinarian specializing in healing alien creatures has just two chapters:

Chapter One: a boy growing up in small-town Minnesota discovers at an early age that he not only loves virtually any kind of animal, but he is also fond of telling himself he is some kind of animal, any animal; because to him, any other creature is bound to be more interesting than a young, human boy growing up in small-town Minnesota.

Chapter Two: Minnesota-burg boy discovers science fiction in the form of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ wonderful, swashbuckling Barsoom books and other classics of the genre. He then becomes fond of telling himself he’ll get off the Earth and travel to Mars someday, because (see above section on interest-level of human boy.)

So: animals around me, sci fi blood coursing through me. These elements would be constants long after I left Minnesota. When I moved to Los Angeles, for instance, and started writing and, fortunately, selling TV scripts, they were generally all in the SF or fantasy category: Saban’s Power Rangers series, Warner Bros. animated Batman, Gravedale High and Hallmark’s Timeless Tales. After my wife and I moved to Iowa and bought a farm, we promptly started using our barns and pastures as a foster site for abused or neglected horses, and we both started volunteering with animal rescue groups that bring us up close and personal with animals like bears and mountain lions and large snakes and alligators, as well as smaller fauna like cats, dogs, ferrets, possums, raccoons and even more cats. This work also introduced me to several remarkable veterinarians with the sort of specialized skill-sets needed to treat exotic animals. I asked them lots of questions and peered over their shoulders during lots of procedures.

My interactions with animal rescue groups have provided plenty of fodder for stories, or at the very least, with inspiration for fictional tales. One day might find me racing through suburban backyards in pursuit of an escaped emu and finally cornering the six-foot-bird in a woodlot. Then, prudently allowing my much larger friend to take the lead, leap in to jointly tackle the bird, rope my belt around its large-talon-equipped feet to keep it from shredding both of us and lug him out of the woods and back to his enclosure.

Then there was the bear in the trailer incident. B-Bear was a full-grown American black bear, about 450 pounds. He was being housed for a few days at our farm before being moved over to the nearby animal shelter where we had a converted garage waiting for him. Anyway, he’d busted one of the small glass windows in the horse trailer we’d used to transport him from the roadside zoo that had gone out of business and had no idea what to do with their “left over” bear. Some of the glass from the window was on the floor of the trailer very close to his food, and I wanted to get it out of the trailer before he ingested any shards. I placed food in the far end of the trailer and, feeling sure that if I moved fast enough, I could open the rear door, push the glass out, and shut the door before he noticed. Turns out a 450-pound bear can move faster than you’d think. I got the glass fragments out, but then had only enough time to slam, but not LATCH, the door before he was leaning against it, pushing it outward and me with it, his hot bear breath huffing audibly in my ear. Now, bottom line: if that bear had for a second wanted to, he could’ve flattened me to the ground and lit out for the territories. Pure luck that he decided to go back to the food at the other end of the trailer and leave me to latch the door.

So, both the emu and the bear were animals that people bought when the critter was young and cute, but which then got old and big and hard to handle. The job of the rescue group then became finding these animals a place to live. But the other part of what these groups do is to help educate people about not adopting animals unless they mean to make a commitment for the lifespan of that animal. OK, lecture over…

In conclusion then: the explanation for where Zenn Scarlett came from is simple: when you shove Christian the animal-crazy-guy into the same Star Trek transporter beam with Christian the sci-fi-obsessed guy but forget to calibrate the transporter's object/surface algorithms, the resulting combo-guy who materializes at the other end will be the kind of writer who naturally imagines a character like Zenn Scarlett.

 

The book will be released in the UK on May 2; it comes out in the US and Canada on May 7.

 

Thanks for letting me share a little of the story behind the story with you all!

 

*****

Thank you, Christian!

 

You can find out more about Christian Schoon on his website.

 

Life of Pi - joint thoughts

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Our joint thoughts:

M: The main plot in Life of Pi is about a boy who gets shipwrecked and finds himself on a lifeboat with a tiger and some other animals with a sub-plot about religion and stories. This is all very beautifully, humorously and thoughtfully written.  

Little M finished the novel before me. I had only read Part 1 before we saw the film. After seeing the film, I realised I had to make a choice between two stories. And I could only do that if I finished the book. So I did and I’m pleased. Life of Pi has prompted more discussions about fiction between Little M and me than any other novel yet.



Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Little M: I liked that a boy was on a boat with a tiger because it showed that Pi was able to cope with the tiger; and also the fact he was stranded in the middle of the ocean on a life boat.

M: I like books that are meaningful but funny. I liked Pi as a narrator because I found him very funny. That is surprising considering the story he is narrating.

Little M: I think this is a very thought provoking novel, it makes you think about religion and God. I didn't think about this when I was reading the book but when I started talking to M, she got me thinking about the religion and the God part of the book.  

M: It was the aspects about religion that stood out most for me. In the first part of the novel Pi goes into great detail about his relationships and difficulties with a few religions. He questions what is really different about them. And for me that is what Life of Pi is about.

Little M: I agree with some of what you have said but I also think it is about a relationship with an animal too. The main aspect could be to do with God and religion but I think a sub-plot could be to do with a relationship between humans and animals.

M: The thing I liked the most about Life of Pi was that it was all about reliable narration, truths and story creations. Because of this, I could read part1, go and see the wonderful film, have a discussion, conclude multiple possibilities and then rush to finish the book. And then, still have lots and lots of discussion about what happened.

A discussion that started off about which story in the novel is ‘true’ soon became a discussion (and realisation) that authors can play games with their readers. This came about when Little M started to explain why she believed one story more. Yes, it was the story she liked more, but was it also because this story was more detailed? Yes. But why was it more detailed? Perhaps it is more detailed because this is the story that the fictional author, the writer who meets with adult Pi Patel, has chosen to write. Obviously, it was his preferred story too.  In the case of Life of Pi, there is more than one author and narrator. Our discussion moved on to counting how many authors are involved with this piece of fiction. Enter Little M’s first knowing encounter with the unreliable narrator.

Little M: Life of Pi was the most challenging book I have read so far. A few years back, M would never have thought that I would read a Man Booker winner before her (I never knew there was this award). So this read was a great achievement for me and I think I will always remember this book. 

If we had to dress up for World Book Day we would both go as Richard Parker. We will not tell you who Richard Parker is because that would be a bit of a spoiler.

 

Publication details:  2002, Canongate, Edinburgh (first published 2001, Alfred A Knopf, Canada)

This copy: 2009 edition, our own

Soldier Dog - Little M's review

Soldier Dog by Sam Angus

Soldier Dog has been nominated for the Carnegie 2013. This review is part of our shadowing of the longlist. But, the judging criteria have not been considered for this review.

Soldier Dog by Sam Angus

Soldier Dog is set in the Great War (WWI). It is about a boy named Stanley Ryder who signs up in the signals section of the British army but he does not know what he has signed himself up for. The section he signed up for was the Messenger Dogs which means he must train a dog to come back from where ever he is. This dog can give vital messages back to his Keeper, that’s Stanley. The dogs go through No Man’s Land and have a high risk of getting injured or killed. This can be very sad for the keeper.

While in the army, Stanley is also looking for his older brother Tom. Stanley wants to find him because their father did a terrible thing, something he would never forget or forgive: he killed Stanley’s dog.

This book made me cry an awful lot. I never knew how one book could make me cry so much. It is sad but it did make me laugh at some points. If you like Michael Morpurgo then I think you will love Soldier Dog; people who like books based on wars might like it too.

In some way it is like Michael Morpurgo’s novel, War Horse, in the sense that a boy has an animal that he deeply loves and then his father takes it away from him. They are also both set in a war time.

This was the first book I have read by Sam Angus. It has made me want to read more of her books when she writes them. Soldier Dog is her debut novel.

I am very happy that this book has been longlisted in the Carnegie and it is a book I think lots of people will enjoy and recommend.   

Publication details: 2012, Macmillan Children’s Books, London, paperback

This copy: received for exploring the Carnegie longlist from the publisher

 

This review counts towards Little M’s British Books Challenge 2013 and the Debut Author Challenge 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horsing around with the Classics

This is our first Classics Club review post and it’s five reads from Little M. Spot the theme! For both of us, this is also our first foray into exploring what the ‘classic’ in Classic Books actually means – for us.

Here's a link to our 'master' Classics Club list.

 5 Titles read and reviewed by Little M 

(in order of first publication date)

1. The Red Pony by John Steinbeck

2. My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara

3. Kit Hunter Show Jumper in South American Mission by Peter Grey

4. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Nancy Drew #1) by Carolyn Keene

5. The Magic Pony (Jinny at Finmory #7) by Patricia Leitch

L to R: My Friend Flicka, The Red Pony, The Secret of Shadow Ranch, The Magic Pony, South American Mission + dustjacket

 

 

 

Spoiler alert: because this is a discussion post, there are a few big spoilers in some of the reviews. We don't think this will spoil the read too much though. But, please be warned.

  

1. The Red Pony

by John Steinbeck,1970, Corgi, London.

First published 1937/1938.

The Red Pony is about a boy named Jody who wants a pony. He gets a little red pony and names him Gabilan. Unfortunately, Gabilan dies and poor Jody is heartbroken.

I thought this was an okay book. It’s probably not at the top of my favourites list but I would definitely recommend it for future generations because it’s sad and happy at the same time. I didn’t notice that the language was old-fashioned in this book. I think there are some bits I didn’t understand in this novel. The storyline/plot is not as interesting as the one in The Magic Pony but I really enjoyed it.

Verdict: Little M would recommend it to next generations.

 

2. My Friend Flicka

by Mary O’Hara, 1972, Eyre & Spottiswoode, London.

First published 1943. This edition: secondhand hardback passed down three generations.

My Friend Flicka is absolutely one of my favourite pony books ever. Or maybe even my favourite pony book because of the plot. Spoiler: I loved the way one little boy wanted a foal so much that when he got her he didn’t want to leave her alone. Then when his filly is close to death, he sits with her all night in the river almost killing himself. I cried in parts when I thought the horse was dead but I also giggled at some points.

Verdict: I would definitely recommend this to current and future generations. I read this book because my M recommended it to me.

M: I read this when I was about 11 and loved it. Mary O’Hara’s whole Wyoming ranch trilogy was one of my favourites ever.

 

3. South American Mission

by Peter Grey, World Distributors, Manchester. Publishing date around 1959-1961.

Kit Hunter Show Jumper in South American Mission is the second book in the Kit Hunter series. It is about Kit Hunter and her friends. Her uncle hurts himself while riding. This has put his plans of going to America and getting some horses way out of the window. One day, a man named Mr Gregg comes by and offers to help them with the horses in America. He and Kit decide that Kit and her friend will go to America and take part in the show jumping and wait until her uncle can come out and help her with deciding which horses to bring back.

I thought this book was one of the best pony books I have ever read because it’s exciting and I couldn’t guess what was going to happen next.

Verdict: I would definitely recommend this to future generations. I bought this book in a secondhand bookshop in South Africa.

M: I read one of the Kit Hunter novels, The Wild One, when I was a girl and enjoyed it.

 

4. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Nancy Drew #1)

by Carolyn Keene, 1979, Armada, London; first published 1971.

The Secret of Shadow Ranch is the first Nancy Drew Mystery. Nancy is visiting her aunt and uncle (I think) with her cousins. There is a mystery at the ranch. Sometimes a ghost white horse gallops through the yard and breaks the fences. One of the workers is a bit mysterious. He might be part of the mystery. Will Nancy be able to solve it?

I loved this book. It is in my top pony books because I love mysteries and I love horses so it’s a perfect book for me.

 

Verdict: I would definitely recommend this to the next generation. I think it will be a good book for them to read because it will be an old mystery type of book rather than the newer ones.

M: I read many of the Nancy Drew mysteries when I was a girl. I loved them. I recently discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pseudonym and that the novels were ghostwritten and used a formula. This partly explains why one of the titles that I had two different edition of, The Clue of the Broken Locket, were also completely different stories! Because of this, I’m not sure the novels would count as classics in literature, but as a series, I’d say it was some kind of classic.

 

5. The Magic Pony (Jinny at Finmory #7)
by Patricia Leitch, 2012, Catnip. London. First published in 1977.

This book is about a girl, Jinny, who owns a pony. The pony becomes lame and the vet can’t see what’s wrong but whilst at a fair, Jinny meets a girl who tells her about a woman at a riding stable who might be able to help. The story moves on to Jinny trying to save Easter, an old dying pony.

 

I quite liked this book but it’s not my favourite pony book because the writing annoys me. I think this is because it uses old fashioned slang (maybe?).

I think a classic is a book that generations might read.

M: I read Rebel Pony by Patricia Leitch when I was 12 and I thought it was OK, which was quite a low rating from me.

Verdict: we wouldn’t recommend it to next generations, so for us, it is probably not a classic.

 

******

M: Overall, we noticed in the discussion that some of the older publications hadn’t dated in the same way that some of the newer ones had. We think ‘not dating’ and ‘recommending to future generations’ might be a sign of a classic.


All book copies were our own.

 

Half Brother - Little M's review

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel

 

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel

 

Half Brother was a book I couldn't put down not even to finish a review I was doing; not even to go and tidy my room. It is so sad and funny at the same time that you can cry from both.

Half Brother is about a family and a chimpanzee who are brought together by the dad's science experiment. He wants to teach the chimp to talk; to be able to talk in sign language.

I recommended it to my mum and said, "You must read it. You will love it." (That's not something I say with every book I love.) I finished it in two days. That is how good it is. I recommend this book to everyone.

I loved Half Brother because I liked how when everything went wrong, Ben still went looking.


Publication details: 2011, David Fickling, Oxford, paperback
This copy: my own; Christmas prezzie

The Night Sky In My Head - M's review

The Night Sky In My Head by Sarah Hammond

The Night Sky in My Head is a bit of a crime story mixed in with a bit of bildungsroman (coming-of-age story – which usually means when you become a teenager or an adult) and elements of fantasy.

 

The Night Sky In My Head - Sarah Hammond

Mikey is fourteen and has a big scar down the back of his head. Since the accident that caused this scar, shadows come alive for Mikey. Now, he can see into the Backwards (which is the past) but he also goes to a special school now. He gets on really well with animals and he has a wonderful best friend who you meet in the first few pages of the book.

The Night Sky In My Head is about Mikey piecing together bits of story from what he sees in the Backwards. It’s rather frightening for him because his dad’s in prison, there’s been a murder, another crime’s been committed and there might be more to come. Who’s done what and will they do it again?

Crimes are committed and there is danger in the story. It’s definitely a bit frightening in parts but overall it’s a gentle story that explores what a ‘good un’ is and what a ‘bad un’ is. Is Mikey good or bad? Is – or was - his dad? And his new mates?

Not everyone in the story believes Mikey about the Backwards. Some of them think he is a bit ‘backwards’ because he speaks and moves more slowly than he used to and he needs help understanding writing. I was a bit confused about how the Backwards happened and why and could it really happen in ‘real’ life. So, while this is a fictional story about things that do happen in real people’s lives, there might be an element of fantasy in it too. Either way, Sarah Hammond (the author) gives you more information about the Backwards at the end of the story. But don’t read it first because it will spoil the story.

This is also a bit of a bildungsroman (coming-of-age story). Mikey’s fourteen and is starting to notice the way that other people treat him, he’s starting to ask questions about his dad when he didn’t really before, he’s trying to make new friends and there’s a girl.

The Night Sky in My Head is a lovely story. It has parallels with Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time but The Night Sky In My Head is told more softly and will appeal to younger readers. Animal lovers will likely enjoy this novel. 

Publication details: Oxford University Press, July 2012, Oxford, paperback

This copy: received for review from the publishers